I shall get back to Pope Benedict XVI's
encyclical on love after this post. I must write about the terrible
confusion in the Church regarding the sacrament of Baptism. Now, I
have written about this before, but the confusion is so widespread
among Catholics, that a repetition is needed. I hope other people in
catechesis and RCIA help clarify the confusion. It is almost as if
some Catholics no longer believe in Original Sin.
We are all born with Original Sin.
Baptism takes away the sin, which has separated us from God and
grace.
So, what does baptism do?
One: it makes one a child of God. We
are not born as adopted children of God; only once, in our life and with His Life, which
is sanctifying grace, are we made children of God.
Two: it makes us co-heirs with Christ
in eternal life and in the life of God on earth, with is the life of
grace. Without baptism, we do not inherit heaven, nor the life of
God, the Kingdom of God within. We receive the Indwelling of the Holy
Trinity in baptism, not in any other way. We are heirs of God and
heirs of heaven. (These points could be divided into three).
Three: we are given the means to
achieve perfection, that is, through sanctifying grace. We are given the
virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. We are given the gifts to grow
and develop the other virtues, not natural virtues, but supernatural
ones.
Four: we are given salvation, which
means, eternal life, if we cooperate with the graces and virtues
given.
Five: we are made pleasing to God and
just in His Eyes, through the Death and Resurrection of Christ,
through the waters of baptism.
Six: we are given the means to gain
merit. Only souls in grace, not those in mortal sin, can gain merit.
Seven: we are united with God in an
intimate union.
All these items may be found in the
Catechism of the Council of Trent, in the documents of the Church
regarding baptism, and in the Scriptures, particularly the Letters of
Paul and the Letters of John and in other catechisms, as well as the writings of the saints.
To believe that all people have access
to heaven and the above gifts, as well as the state of grace
becoming children of God without baptism is to be a heretic. It is
too bad, but many Catholics fall into heresy for the following
reasons.
One: like myself, there are children in
our families, such as nieces, nephews, etc. who are not baptised and
some people cannot bear the suffering of facing the truth about their
state. I, for example, have a niece who is not baptised. This is a
painful situation, but as I am not her parents, I can only pray that
God will inspire her to be baptised someday.
Two: many Catholics cannot face the
real tragedy of abortion, which is that the souls of these little
victims may not be taken up into the Beatific Vision as those who are
baptised. Unbaptized babies, as Blessed John Paul II stated, are in
the mercy of God. But, we cannot assume that their state is the same
as that of a baptised baby. Otherwise, we are denying the efficacy of
the sacrament.
Three: many Catholics simply do not
believe in Original Sin, hell, or purgatory. In other words, some
believe in the heresy of universal salvation, which I think is the
most common heresy in the world today.
Four: relativism regarding religions
demands that baptism makes no difference as all good people go to
heaven--this is a common heresy as well.
Five: the misunderstanding of the
baptism of desire, which only applies to those over the age of reason
who cannot because of serious circumstances, such as persecution, be
baptised. Another person other than one's self cannot desire baptism
for a second party.
Six: some Catholics believe all
children are in a state of innocence simply because they are
children. This is a sentimental idea which used to be common and
still lingers on in some circles.
Seven: the misunderstanding of the
Nature of God makes some think that God would never punish or damn a
child. Now, invincible ignorance is always a possibility, but as I
wrote in an earlier posting, children can choose evil and if not
baptised, the choosing of good is much harder.
This list is not exhaustive. Now, I am going back to the great encyclical on love.....see next post later tomorrow
